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De Mistura briefs Security Council on Syria talks halt

NEW YORK, Feb 5 (KUNA) -- UN Security Council held a closed meeting to assess the political situation in Syria following the failed talks held in Geneva between the government and the opposition.
Venezuela, which holds the presidency of the Council this month, requested the meeting, where UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General Staffan de Mistura briefed the members via video, on the three week halt of talks.
French Ambassador to UN Francoise Delattre told the press that de Mistura confirmed to them that the Syrian regime and allies have made no concession. "Quite the contrary, on the one hand the Syrian regime claims to discuss peace in Geneva, and on the other hand it intensifies its military offensive against the opposition groups," he said.
Delattre said that the unprecedented fire imposed on the City of Aleppo performed by the Syrian regime is done by Russia military support.
A peace process for sake of process is meaningless, he added, but intangible humanitarian improvements are the condition for credible negotiations.
"France expects the regime and its allies to respect their humanitarian obligations in resolution 2254, namely, and I repeat them, cessation of indiscriminate bombing, removing sieges, and full humanitarian access to Syrian populations," he added.
On the ground intensification of regime shelling with military support of Russia has led to grave deteriorating humanitarian situation, the French ambassador to the UN confirmed.
France condemns the brutal conducted by the Syrian regime, with Russia's support, he told the press.
On his behalf, the Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin expressed to the press after the closed consultations, that they are "upset" that the talks were not continued, and that they are disappointed that the opposition were not representative as they supposed to be in accordance to Geneva Communique 2012, and Security Council resolution 2254.
The talks have been weakened by the fact that Turkey went out its way to block the participation of Syrian Kurds, he said.
During the meeting, some colleagues, he said, criticized his country for continuing the "bombing campaign." He said the talks was a platform for such issues to be discussed, and that it cannot be achieved "unilaterally." (end) mao.bs